Equality Between Men and Women?
We often hear about such topics as domestic violence and âtoxic masculinityâ and the prevailing opinion is that men are mean, boorish, etc.
I would like you to take a look at the following commercials and a music video and to notice something else: except for the old black and white commercial and the music video, in which the men and women seem rather equal, there seems to be a trendâespecially in advertising that paints a very different picture â that men are fools and make stupid decisions.
Please read the descriptions and follow the links (All five will take about 10 minutes altogether.)
TV Commercials
VINTAGE: POSITIVE male image. Note this commercial was made at the beginning of the Womenâs Movement. It shows a female rep and a sensitive construction worker. It is fair to both genders:
1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBVHrusML3o
CONTEMPORARY: negative male images. Now it seems advertising agencies feel the need to make men foolish and ineffectual and make women insensitive and superior. Equality is not the goal, unfortunately:
Wheat Thins âTrap Doorâ
2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awUv2tKC1Cg
Hanes Paste Socks
3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTpG37OvjFs
Are we supposed to find it amusing that the manâs wife cares more about their vacation plans than his injury?
4 aflac dad%27s choice commercial – Bing video
_________________________________________________________________________________
Just for your consideration, here is a music video that shows violence in what seems to be a love/hate relationship, but the woman fights back. It is an updated version of a French Apache Dance (from early 20th Century France — you can Google it) used in a contemporary song.
5 Official music video P!nk “Try”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCDVfMz15M Since the singer is a woman, does this song side with her or does it treat her partner equally? All of the above is for you to think about, not to include in your essay, though it might give you more insight into the concept of gender bias.
Please post some replies or reactions.
